French: Who Speaks It and Where?

French is spoken in thirty-nine countries spread out across five continents. These nations are known as francophone or French speaking nations. They have French either as an official language or use it for daily communication. This is Part 2 of a four-part blog identifying the nations in each of the five continents where this beautiful language is spoken

Part 2: The Americas and the Caribbean

Canada

Canada has the most number of French speakers in the Americas. With 22% of the population speaking French as a mother tongue, French is also the official language along with English. The city of Quebec is where 85% of the French-speaking population resides.

French Guiana

French is the official language of French Guiana. French Guiana is a member of the European Union and the largest landmass outside Europe. This exciting department of France is filled with lush rainforests and eerie prison forts that attract tourists in huge numbers.

Haiti

In Haiti, 42% of the people speak French. It is also authorized as the official language and used in formal events such as weddings, graduations, and church masses. French in Haiti is spoken mostly by the educated public. Its’ variation, known as Haitian Creole, is also based on French but includes certain vocabulary from other Western African languages.

Martinique

The official language of this island nation is French. Almost the entirety of the population speaks French. Like the Haitian Creole, there is a local variation of French with the infusion of certain Caribbean languages known as Martinique Creole. Being an overseas department of France and situated in the Caribbean, Martinique has the best of both cultures to offer its’ visitors.

Guadeloupe

As a region of France, the official language is French though the Guadeloupe Creole is also popular. This is a variety of the Antillean Creole French and considered to be the language of most locals apart from pure French. The island is known for their achievements in the field of literature and their vibrant dance and music culture.

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